REQUESTING THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A WORKING GROUP TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION STANDARDS AND PROGRAMMING K-12.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Sturgeon & Rep. Snyder-Hall

Reps. Morrison, Neal

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 156

REQUESTING THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A WORKING GROUP TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH EDUCATION STANDARDS AND PROGRAMMING K-12.

WHEREAS, access to age-developmentally appropriate skills-based health education is essential to the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of Delaware’s students; and

WHEREAS, research consistently shows that comprehensive health education improves student outcomes by increasing health literacy, reducing risky behaviors, supporting mental and emotional well-being, and improving academic performance and school connectedness; and that students who receive inclusive, skills-based health instruction are more likely to make informed decisions, delay risky behaviors, and build healthy relationships throughout their lives; and

WHEREAS, the Delaware Code currently identifies several health concepts and topics, including some areas with specific hourly requirements, in various chapters and sections; and

WHEREAS, 14 DE Admin. Code 501 State Content Standards and 14 DE Admin. Code 503 Instructional Program Requirements include the approved health standards and the required health instructional programming respectively; and

WHEREAS, 14 DE Admin. Code 551 outlines the requirements for comprehensive health education programming in kindergarten through grade 12 including the requirement for an annual school survey collecting information from school districts and charter schools describing the methods used to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs; and

WHEREAS, in order to continually improve health education programming across the state it is important to receive information from Delaware health educators, national and other state experts and educators, and other relevant organizations to inform the next iteration of the health education standards.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153

rd

General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Delaware Department of Education will develop a working group of Delaware health educators to lead the work on recommendations for changes to the health standards ensuring alignment with national or other state standards. The standards will inform recommended changes to 14 DE Admin Code 551 K-12 Comprehensive Health Education Programming ensuring up to date skills-based health education is accessible to all children throughout the state.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the working group of Delaware health educators will review information received from partners throughout the standards development process; parents and families, students, administrators, superintendents, other Delaware state agencies, and other organizations as needed.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the working group of Delaware health educators will review current Delaware Code for health education requirements to inform recommendations to the state standards.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Delaware Department of Education shall prepare a report that must include all of the following:

1. An assessment of the implementation of Regulation 551 across districts and charter schools as collected through the Health Education Survey.

2. Feedback from educators, school leaders, administrators, families, and students.

3. Consideration of national standards.

4. Recommendations for a unified set of Delaware Health Education Standards, including corresponding grade-level learning outcomes.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Education shall deliver a copy of the report to the Governor, members of the General Assembly, and the State Board of Education, and the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services by December 31, 2026.

SYNOPSIS

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Delaware Department of Education to develop a working group of health educators to continually improve the K-12 Comprehensive Health Education Programming, ensuring skills-based health education is accessible to all children throughout the state. This will require the review of information from parents and families, students, administrators, superintendents, other DE state agencies, and other organizations as needed to inform recommended changes to the Delaware Health Standards that will need to be adopted by the State Board of Education. The Department will provide a summary report of the information reviewed by the working group, summary of the annual health education survey and recommended new Delaware health standards. The summary report will be provided to the Governor, members of the General Assembly, and the State Board of Education, and the Director and the Librarian of the Division of Legislative Services.

Author: Senator Sturgeon